


Love and War

by BookWyrm07



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Military, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff and Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-22
Updated: 2020-04-22
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:41:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,518
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23794042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BookWyrm07/pseuds/BookWyrm07
Summary: A relationship nobody believes in fights to survive. Theo and Liam try to make it work despite being in separate contents and a lack of support.
Relationships: Liam Dunbar/Theo Raeken
Comments: 13
Kudos: 59





	Love and War

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the Dixie Chicks song Traveling Soldier, but I like happy endings, so I gave it one.

It was a quiet afternoon. The diner was nearly empty. An old couple sat in a corner booth with their early bird specials, a lady in a heavy coat talked to herself while lining up the sugar packets and a guy sat at the counter, staring into his soda and untouched plate of fries. Shifts like these were awesome and terrible at the same time. Awesome because he didn't have to rush or stress about people getting their food or getting all his cleaning done. Terrible because the shift took forever, and he had to keep finding things to do.

"If the fries aren't working for you I can get you something else," Liam offered. 

The guy gave a small sad smile, and Liam felt his heart leap into his throat. He was beautiful. His pink lips were pouty, just a little bit of stubble dusted his strong jaw and his eyes were a bright grey-green. "Nah, it's okay. I'm not really hungry, just didn't want to be alone, and didn't want to take up space at your counter without buying something." Even his voice was sexy.

Liam thought for a moment. He could offer something comforting like hot chocolate or a milkshake, but he doubted it would help. "If you're looking for someone to talk to, my shift is over in an hour."

"Yeah, that actually sounds really nice. I'm Theo, by the way."

\---

They went to the beach and sat on a bench overlooking the surf. Kids played and built sand castles. Couples walked at the edge of the water. Old men fished off the end of the dock. The silence stretched between them but Liam waited for Theo. He would start when he was ready.

"I just got my deployment orders," he said, eyes still focused on the water.

"Where?"

"Afghanistan."

"I tried to join the military after highschool, but my anger issues make me mentally unfit for duty." Liam shrugged at the look Theo gave him. "It's under control now, but I got into some trouble at fifteen, so no colleges wanted me but Community. I thought a stint in the Army would show it wasn't an issue anymore."

"I joined so I wouldn't have to live in my car anymore. The group home I lived in didn't keep anyone over seventeen, so it was: happy birthday, here's a card and two hundred bucks, don't let the door hit you on the way out." He said it with as much emotion as a grocery list, then gave that sad smile again. "I was expecting it. You don't grow up in the system without knowing how it works."

"What happened to your family?" The question was out before he could stop it. Liam's face felt hot. "Sorry, that's really personal. You don't have to answer."

Theo smiled, but not the sad one from before. This held humor and just a tiny bit of something else. Flirting? "You're cute when you blush." That only made Liam blush more.

Theo sighed and his face fell a bit. "I don't mind," he said, "our house caught fire. My parents and sister didn't make it out, but my room was on the bottom floor so I took in less smoke. I was eight. After that I went into the system. I never stayed in one place very long, six months at the most."

"That sounds lonely."

"I got used to it. It really didn't bother me until I got my deployment orders. Now it feels like there's nothing to connect me back here."

"Here like California?"

"Like real life outside of a warzone."

"You have me," Liam offered. He met Theo's skeptical look with a determined one. "Write to me, email, letters in the mail, whatever you have access to. I'll write you back, and send care packages full of foot powder and slim jims like in that commercial."

They fell into laughter. 

Liam couldn't remember who kissed who first, just the feel of Theo's lips on his, the smell, the taste of him. He didn't remember whose idea it was to go somewhere more private, only the nervous excitement as he followed Theo to his hotel, the pleasure and intensity of their love making and the overwhelming feeling of rightness as they fell asleep in each other's arms.

\---

Theo propped himself up on his elbow and stared at the beautiful boy sleeping in his bed. He couldn't believe how quickly he had fallen for Liam, opened up to him. Councilors had spent years trying, in vain, to get him to open up, and it always made him want to keep his mouth shut. All Liam had to do was look at him with those impossibly bright blue eyes and give that soft, reassuring smile, and he poured his heart out. Part of him still couldn't believe it. 

Liam opened his eyes and took Theo's breath away. "Morning," he said.

Theo mumbled, "Good morning," and kissed him. The kiss moved from lips to jaw, and down behind his ear.

"Mmm," Liam purred. "What were your plans today."

Theo continued to kiss and explore Liam's neck. "I hadn't really planned on much of anything except killing time for the next two weeks."

Liam pushed him back and sat up. "That won't do."

"It won't?"

"No. We aren't going to spend the next two weeks hiding in this room having spectacular sex. You want to be connected to the real, civilian world while you're over there, so we're going to give you two weeks of fun civilian life to do that."

Theo smiled. He thought he'd smiled more in the last twelve hours than he had in the previous ten years. How could just meeting Liam change everything so much? "We can still have the spectacular sex, right?" He sucked a bruise against Liam's collar bone. 

Liam groaned, then flipped their position. He cupped Theo's ass and his smile lit the room and gave Theo goosebumps. "Of course we can."

\----

The two weeks were amazing. They spent every minute together that they could. Theo met Liam's friends. He had fun with Mason and Corey, given time he thought they could be friends, but that Brett guy was an asshole, and it was obvious that he desperately wanted to get into Liam's pants. Theo also got a chance to meet Liam's mom. She didn't seem to like him much, but that was probably that she didn't like her son dating a man about to leave for war. Theo didn't take it personally.

Now his car was in storage, along with the few things he owned that wouldn't fit in his duffle bag. Liam drove him to the base. He could see families and couples hugging and saying tear filled goodbyes. 

Liam pulled him into a tight hug. Theo savored the feel of his body, breathed deep his scent and kissed him. He kissed him deeply, thoroughly. "Thank you, Liam. The last two weeks have been the best." 

"Stop." Liam had tears welling in his eyes. "This isn't a 'goodbye'. You're going to call me on Skype the first chance you get, just like we talked about before. We're going to video chat, and email, and talk all the time."

"Yes, we will, but Liam, if I come back, I won't be the same person I am now."

The tears were streaming down his face now. "You will come back. I know you're trying to push me away. It won't work."

He held Liam's face and brushed a tear away with his thumb. "What I'm saying, Liam, is we haven't been together that long. We're still getting to know each other. I don't expect you to wait for me. If you like a guy and he likes you back, you should go for it."

"Idiot," Liam choked. "Is this about Brett? He's been trying to get in my pants since we were fifteen. If I haven't said yes and three years why would I now?"

"I just don't want you to miss something great because you're waiting for me."

Liam kissed his palm. "I already have something great." They kissed one last time before Theo turned and walked into the base.

\---

Liam straightened his tie, and brushed his slacks clean of dust. He double checked his hair in his selfie camera, then turned on the video recording. "Hey, Theo." He smiled. "I know your meeting my mom went less than wonderfully. I'm hoping this meeting goes better." He changed to the main camera.

The cemetery grass was well manicured, if a little yellow. Tall trees surrounded the wide field. He turned the camera down to the graves in front of him. All three were free of weeds with spotless headstones. "Mr. and Mrs. Raeken, my name is Liam. I'm dating your son." He set a large bouquet of flowers on the double headstone between the names Jonathan and Shannon. He turned to the smaller headstone, and placed a small black ceramic cat. "Tara, your little brother told me you had a black cat named Bill. I hope this guy at least resembles him." He stood and zoomed out to see all three graves. "Right now Theo's half a world away, but I'm doing the best I can to take care of him from a distance." 

Back in selfie mode he said, "I think that went better. I'll make sure their graves are kept clean and that they get flowers on their birthdays until you get back."

\--- 

Liam finished loading videos on the tablet, not just the video he'd made at the cemetery, but a few other home videos he'd made, and dozens of hours of movies, TV shows, and books enough to fill the hard drive. Once charged the tablet would go in it's shock resistant case, wrapped in colorful "happy birthday" paper, then sealed in a waterproof proof bag and finally added to the box he was sending to Theo.

Brett rifled through the box. "Toiletries are lame. Oo sour gummies." He reached for the bag and barely dodged when Liam stabbed at his hand with the scissors he used on the wrapping paper. "Nice temper there, Liam. Take your meds today?"

Liam glared up at the taller young man. "Get your own, my boyfriend can't."

"Some boyfriend," Brett scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"I'm getting real tired of defending my relationship to you guys or my parents. Theo and I have been together for six months, is it really so much to ask for some support from the people that are supposed to care about me."

Brett laughed. "We must have different definitions of together. Five and a half months on separate contents doesn't make a six month relationship."

Liam stood, clenched his jaw, and balled his fist. 

"What I think Brett means, Liam, is we're concerned for you," Mason cut in trying to defuse the situation. "You fell really hard and fast for Theo, now he's so far away in constant danger. That's a hard situation for long term stable relationships to deal with. Most people would say it's impossible for such a new one."

"My relationship isn't impossible, Mase. It's just difficult. All relationships have challenges."

"Most relationship challenges are things like, he hogs the blanket or his parents watch Fox news, not there is the majority of a planet between us and he could get shot at any time." Mason saw Liam's anger turn to hurt. "But it's nothing you can't handle. You and Theo are great together, or were that one time I saw you together… I'm going to stop talking now."

Liam sighed and patted his friend on the shoulder. "Thanks for trying." He finished packing up the care package.

\---

Theo wiped tears from his eyes. Liam was too good, too amazing for a screw up like him. He had expected the package. Liam told him it was coming, told him it was full of all the personal care items he would be needing, his favorite snacks and a birthday surprise. He expected some packaged cupcakes, maybe a card. 

He was stunned and shocked to find the bright blue package covered in happy birthday balloons and a bow. The bow was a little squished from getting tossed around in shipping, not too badly. He tried to remember the last time he'd gotten a real birthday present. The group home had given him a card with some cash last year, but the last time he'd gotten a real wrapped present had been at twelve. His foster family gave him a skateboard and helmet. Both were hand me downs, but in good shape and clean.

The tears welled up at the sight of the tablet. The note on the main page told him it was full of entertainment he expected on a device like this, but one thing caught his eye: "home movies". He didn't think Liam would make THAT kind of movie. That kind of movie homemade or otherwise was contraband, and could get him in trouble. He was both relieved and disappointed to see titles like Grocery Shopping, Homework, Cooking Dinner, Slow Shift at Work. Then one caught his attention: Meeting Your Family. He watched it and the tears fell.

Guys laughing pulled his attention. Miller was explaining, "I'm just saying there aren't many women here and the ones that are are off limits. I'm not gay, but a blowjob is a blowjob."

A bunch of the guys laughed, but Diaz seemed to agree. "It's only gay if the balls touch."

The words made Theo's head hurt. "Seriously, you guys? I'm sitting right here and about to call my boyfriend."

Miller paused for a moment, trying to think of what that had to do with their conversation. "Tell them I'm right, Raeken, the fucker is less gay than the fuckee."

He had to think a moment to understand what Miller meant. "First top, not fucker. Bottom not fuckee. Fuckee isn't even a word. Tops are just as gay as bottoms. That's kind of the point. Also there are a lot of ways to fuck a guy and not have your balls touch. Miller, you might want to consider sexuality isn't a binary. There are options other than gay or straight."

"Which are you, top or bottom?"

Theo considered not answering, but Miller was as persistent as he was annoying. "I'm versatile. Depends on different things."

"Like what?"

"Well, with my boyfriend it can depend on our mood or even what we ate for dinner. NO ONE bottoms after eating taco bell, but when I'm fucking your dad I always top. His dick's too small to do anything fun with my perfect round ass." The guys nearby erupted into laughter.

\--

Theo sat nervously at the computer. He was early, hopefully not too early. It was Saturday and while it was seven in the evening here, it was seven thirty in the morning over in California. A very sleepy looking Liam came into view. His hair stuck out in all angles. A little stubble covered his jaw.

Theo felt a surge of longing. Liam looked amazing, and he wouldn't mind waking up next to that man every single morning. "Good morning handsome." He smiled into the camera. 

Liam blushed. "You're early. I didn't even comb my hair yet." 

"Combs are overrated. You look good with bed-head." He smiled, enjoying Liam's blush at the compliment. "I got your present. Fuck, Liam, I literally cried. The tablet alone was more than I ever expected, but all the stuff you put on it, the cute videos you made, visiting my family." The last part came out a little choked. His eyes watered.

"You're welcome, and happy birthday. I was afraid I wouldn't make it there before the big day."

"I can't believe you put so much effort into it. I haven't even taken flowers to my parents grave in over a year."

"I was happy to put in the effort. I love you."

Theo froze. Liam loved him. Liam told him he loves him. He'd been thinking it to himself since their first night together, and hadn't he just been thinking he wanted to wake up with Liam every day? He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came. Liam's face fell. "You surprised me. No one has said those words to me in a very long time."

"Heeey!" An arm wrapped around Theo's neck. 

"What the hell, Miller?"

"You must be the boyfriend. He's cute, Raeken. So, boyfriend, Raeken says he likes to plow my dad. Does that make you jealous?"

Liam didn't miss a beat. He asked "Is that the old guy we double teamed? The one hung like a hamster?"

Theo laughed. Miller looked offended. "Well, I see you two deserve each other," he said and left.

"You're amazing, Liam." Theo hoped his eyes said what he couldn't. "There are things I want to say, but I can't, and my time is up, so I can't exp-"

"It's okay, Theo. You're not ready to say it. No pressure," he said, but he still looked hurt.

"I'll call you next week, or when I get the chance."

"Don't worry about waking me." Liam nodded tears in his eyes. Theo blew him a kiss and he caught it.

Theo went back to his bunk. He took out his notebook and wrote a letter.

\---

The diner was nicely busy. That perfect steady stream of customers so Liam always had something to do and time passed quickly but never so busy that he felt frantic or stressed. It was almost ten at night and he was down a couple of truckers sitting at the counter, waiting for the local news to get to the weather report and a large group of teenagers, most of which he knew from last year at school. They were celebrating a football win. 

"Order up sweet cheeks!" The call came from the kitchen.

"That's sexual harassment, Brett. Don't make me contact HR," He wasn't offended by Bretts bullshit, only amazed that Brett expected it to get on his good side. Sometimes he wondered why they were even friends.

"We don't have an HR." He smiled through the window from the kitchen. 

Liam organized the plates on his tray. "Fine, then don't make me punch you in the face." 

Brett laughed as Liam took the food to the teens. He passed out cheeseburgers, fries and other grease filled plates, cleared the empty appetizer plates and assured everyone he would be right back to refill their drinks.

Two steps from the table the TV over the counter caught his attention. A pretty news anchor spoke in a solemn tone. "A local soldier, and graduate of Beacon Hills High School Theodore Raeken was killed in a roadside bombing in Afghanistan this morning. He was nineteen years old. No word yet on a memorial service."

Liam couldn't breathe. He leaned against the counter. Tears fell. He squeezed his eyes shut, and bit his lip to keep from screaming. It felt like he got hit in the chest with a baseball bat. 

The world stopped, except it didn't. The teens were still celebrating their game. The truckers were asking for more coffee. Theo was dead and they didn't care. He slumped to the ground.

"Liam?" Brett's voice. It was coming closer. "C'mon man, we have customers and they're staring at you."

He didn't say anything.

"Maybe he knew that Ragan guy they mentioned on the news?" one of the truckers suggested.

Brett was closer now, touching distance. "Dude, I thought you had anger issues not depression." 

Liam opened his eyes. Brett knelt in front of him, and the bastard was smiling. Theo was dead and this guy was smiling. Liam's fist hit him in his perfect teeth. 

He left, ran through the kitchen and out the back door. The cool fall air did nothing to help calm him. He punched the wall, and yelled, "The sun!" He punched the wall again. "The moon." It came out quieter, more of a growl than a scream. He punched again. "The truth." His voice was normal. Tears still rolled down his face.

\---

At first Liam refused to believe it was true. It didn't feel true. There had to be a mistake. Theo would call on Saturday morning like he always did. They would laugh and cry and everything would be okay. He didn't sleep Friday night waiting for the call. Seven thirty passed, eight passed then at nine his phone rang with a Skype video call, but it wasn't Theo. 

Sargent Douglas explained Theo and Miller had been caught in the blast of a roadside bomb. Miller was in critical condition, but Theo hadn't made it. He would make sure Liam got Theo's personal effects. When Liam asked about his remains the Sargent had looked down and shook his head. There wasn't enough left to recover.

Days blended together. Liam wasn't sure how long it had been since he'd heard about Theo. He went to work, went to class, ate dinner with his parents when they were home, but none of it felt important. Nothing felt real. He was numb, except when he was angry. His knuckles were covered in scabs and bruises, but it didn't hurt. 

His parents kept trying to talk to him. He didn't want to talk. They tried to get him to think about something other than Theo. They hadn't even given Theo a chance when he was in town. Mason texted him a couple of times but he didn't reply. He would probably say something horrible, anyway.

None of them seemed to understand it was more than his heart that was broken. His soul felt like it had been torn to pieces. Everything had felt so right after he met Theo, even after he shipped out the feeling of rightness was there, refreshed with every video call, every email, every letter.

He set his bag down. There was homework to do but he just couldn't bring himself to do it. Instead, he threw himself on his bed. Something jabbed him in the back. Reaching behind him, he found a large padded envelope. His name was written in Theo's handwriting. 

He swallowed past the lump in his throat, and let the tears fall. He opened it carefully, not wanting to damage anything from the man he loved. Inside was a single folded paper and a small white box. He read the letter.

Liam, 

I know you said there was no pressure for me to tell you how I feel, and I know you meant it. You said you didn't need an explanation, but I can't ignore the pain in your eyes. I think you deserve to know why I can't say those words.

Everyone I've ever said that to is dead. My parents, my sister, even that stupid cat all died within hours of the last time I told them I loved them. While most of me is grateful I told them when I could, there's a small part of me that still thinks they would be alive if I hadn't. I know it's crazy. I know that my words didn't make the wiring bad, but I can't shake the fear that if I say it to you something terrible will happen to you. I don't know if I'll ever be able to get past this phobia. 

I can tell you when things get bad just thinking of you, your smile, makes everything more manageable. Looking at your pictures warms me to the depths of my soul. I can promise you that what I can't say in words I will say with my actions. I will kiss you like you're the only man in the world, and hold you in my arms all night, every night I can. You're my first thought when I wake up and my last before I sleep. 

I would be happy to spend every day for the rest of my life showing you how I feel, but since I'm stuck over here, I want you to have this. It was going to be your Christmas present, but instead it can be the first gift of my affection. Wear it and know I'm thinking of you. Know how much you mean to me.

Forever yours   
Theo

Liam let the tears fall. He only made sure to hold the paper clear so the ink wouldn't smear. He read it twice more before he picked up the box. Enclosed was a silver pendant hung on a thick intricately woven chain. The pendant itself was a star covered moon overlaid on a flowering sun. The word TRUTH was engraved on the back. 

He remembered the only time he came close to losing his temper when Theo was in town. Some jerk had yelled a homophobic slur at them. Liam had gone through his manta a few times to keep from punching the guy. Theo never let go of his hand, just waited quietly while Liam calmed down. When he tried to apologize Theo had looked confused and asked, "For what? Not punching a douchebag?" Then whispered in Liam's ear about how hot he looked when he was angry.

He pressed the pendant to his lips and fastened the chain around his neck.

\---

It was like those mornings where you just can't wake up. Consciousness came slowly and in bursts. He became aware of things around him, people talked. "His GCS is up to 12." "Your bruises are looking better, Private Miller." A hand held his. A stern, but not unkind voice. "Squeeze my hand, Private. That's an order." He tried to squeeze the hand, but wasn't sure if it happened. Eventually, his eyes stayed open.

A smiling nurse said, "Good afternoon, Private Miller. So nice of you to join us." She leaned out the door and called the doctor.

"Whe-" He coughed. He took a drink from the bendy straw held out to him and tried again. "Where am I?" The question came raspy and hoarse.

A tall good-looking dark skinned doctor came to the computer next to his bed. He gave a reassuring smile and looked over his file. "You are at the VA hospital in San Francisco. I'm Dr. Geyer. Do you remember anything from before the bombing, Private Miller?"

Why did they keep calling him Miller? "Not much, but I'm not Miller."

The doctor stepped closer to the bed and examined his eyes. "Ok can you tell me what year it is, who the president is?"

"The year is 2020, and the president is 45, the orange shit goblin. Please don't make me say his name. I'm not brain damaged." He tried to raise his left hand to rub his eye, but it only twitched. He tried again with his right hand. That one moved. "Well, a little brain damaged, but I know who I am. Raeken, Theodore K. PFC, 609-06-20."

"I'll start the paperwork to clear up the misidentification," the nurse said and left.

The word echoed in his head. Misidentification. That means Liam thinks he's…He looked around the room. He needed a phone. Liam had to know he was okay. His heart pounded. It was hard to breathe. 

"Theo?" 

He blinked. The doctor was in his face. 

"You're safe. No one is going to hurt you here," Dr. Geyer spoke calmly.

"No. I need to call my boyfriend. I can't let him keep thinking I'm dead."

The doctor nodded, and surprised Theo by pulling out his own phone. "I just needed your permission." He tapped at the screen a few times, then held it up. "Hey! Glad you picked up this time."

"You've never called me while you were working. Is something wrong, Dad?" Liam's voice, usually so full of his every emotion, sounded hollow, numb.

"Nothing's wrong. There's someone here who needs to talk to you, and I didn't want to wait for official channels. You're sitting down, right?" He turned the screen to face Theo.

Liam's eyes were red, bloodshot. The normal bright summer sky blue color was faded, dull. He was pale and hadn't shaved. He looked stunned. "Wow babe, you look like crap, of course I've been through an explosion, surgery and a couple weeks of coma since I looked in a mirror, so I probably don't look much better."

Liam sobbed, "I think you look amazing, especially for a dead guy. How?"

"Someone got me and Miller mixed up. With enough bruises and swelling they probably couldn't tell who was who."

The color.was already returning to Liam's eyes. "I'm going to leave now. I'll see you in twenty minutes."

Dr. Geyer took the phone back. "Make that two hours. Shower and shave first. We have to run some tests and Theo probably wants to get cleaned up himself. You can see him face to face after that. Drive safe."

\---

The damage to his spine and nervous system had been bad, but nothing that couldn't heal with time and hard work. Weeks in the hospital turned into months in a rehabilitation center then a year in a half-way house before doctors would clear him to live alone. He had to relearn to do everything, walk, even feed, clean and dress himself, but he did it, and Liam was by his side the whole time. 

The worst of the damage hadn't been physical. The nightmares started while he was still in the hospital. They varied but always ended after Miller smiled at him and said, "Hold up, Raeken. I'll take point. We can't have you dying on your birthday," then he died in a variety of terrible and graphic ways. The flashbacks and crippling anxiety came next.

At first he wanted to give up. Therapy was impossible, had always been impossible. Talking required trust and the only person he trusted didn't need the nightmare fuel he would say. That was when his doctors introduced him to Katie. It was love at first sight. She was beautiful, big brown eyes and thick shiny hair, well fur. Katie was a German Shepherd and trained mobility helper. 

She brought him his crutches, helped him reach and pick up things when his hand wouldn't cooperate, but the most valuable thing she did was when she woke Theo up from a nightmare, put her head in his lap though flashbacks or sat on his feet when anxiety got bad.

Physically he was fully recovered. Mentally he still had some healing to do, but with Katie and Liam by his sides he felt like he could do anything. His doctors seemed to agree. He looked at the keys in his hand, the keys to his new apartment.

"Are you ready?" Liam asked as he took a box from Theo's car.

Theo smiled, took his duffle bag and unlocked the door to his new student apartment. It was full of clean comfortable looking furniture. The location was perfect, close to shops and a good park, on campus to his new school, the one Liam had transferred to after a year of community college. As Liam took his box to the kitchen Theo knelt and removed Katie's "don't pet me I'm working" vest. She gave him a confused look.

Theo explained, "I know it's early, but these are special circumstances." She didn't look convinced. "I'll be fine Liam's right here. Go explore our new home." She nuzzled his hand before trotting off to check out her new home.

It didn't take them long to unpack the kitchen and set up the bathroom. Theo put his clothes away while Liam made the bed. Katie watched from her dog bed. She waited for Liam to finish placing the pillows before she jumped on the bed, and sprawled diagonally across it.

"Hey! I just made that. Get down," Liam huffed. 

Theo tucked the last pair of jeans in the drawer and closed it. "It's her bed too, but I get the side by the window. Katie, scoot over." She gave a heavy sigh then turned so her head was on the pillow and she lay on the side by the closet.

"But… she has a... a dog bed," Liam sputtered. 

"Yes, and she won't mind using it when you stay over." 

Liam rolled his eyes. "Good, because I plan to stay over a lot."

"Do you?" Theo pulled Liam close. Liam's reply was lost as Theo kissed him. They melted into the kiss. Theo's hands on Liam's hips held him tight. Liam's arms wrapped around Theo Theo's shoulders, fingers tangled in his hair. They fell back on the bed narrowly missing the dog.

Katie made a disgruntled sound, and left the room. She closed the door behind her.

They laughed. Theo brushed a stray hair from Liam's forehead. He licked his lips and for the first time since he was a kid whispered "I love you." 

Liam gave Theo his biggest smile. "I love you, too."

"I hope you realize you need to stay over tonight, just so I know you're safe."

Liam kissed him. "Deal. Maybe if you keep saying it I'll move in fully."

Theo kissed him back.


End file.
